


Facing the Scary Stuff

by 50_shades_of_weird



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Claude is a long suffering mother who is so sick of his kids shit, Kissing, M/M, Patty needs a hug, Travis Needs A Hug, Travis is being dumb, crying?, hand holding, i think I should, should I make TK cry?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:53:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25737580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/50_shades_of_weird/pseuds/50_shades_of_weird
Summary: TK didn’t really understand why they had to stop what they were doing. They were buddies helping each other out. Yeah they might exclusively be sleeping with one another but that shouldn’t change anything. So what if TK wanted to tuck Patty’s hair behind his ear and whisper how much he liked him into his skin. What’s it matter if Patty sometimes smiled at TK like he hung the moon and the stars? It’s no big deal. That’s just how they are. They are TK and Patty, the bromance of all bromances. It’s fine.+It wasn’t fine.Disclaimer: Any similarity between the fictional version of the person(s) mentioned and portrayed here and the actual person(s) is purely coincidental, and does not represent actions or scenarios I wish to happen to said person(s).This is a work of fiction, and does not represent the mentioned person(s).This is not an attempt to defame the character of said person on the basis of libel, as the work is purely fictional. I do not wish to mislead others about the character and life of said person(s), and do not wish for others to make conclusions based off of my works of fiction.
Relationships: Danny Briere/Claude Giroux (past), Ryanne Breton/Claude Giroux (mentioned), Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	Facing the Scary Stuff

**Author's Note:**

> I don't go here y'all...I'm a Stars fan.

TK didn’t really understand why they had to stop what they were doing. They were buddies helping each other out. Yeah they might exclusively be sleeping with one another but that shouldn’t change anything. So what if TK wanted to tuck Patty’s hair behind his ear and whisper how much he liked him into his skin. What’s it matter if Patty sometimes smiled at TK like he hung the moon and the stars? It’s no big deal. That’s just how they are. They are TK and Patty, the bromance of all bromances. It’s fine.

+

It wasn’t fine.

+

Okay, so here’s the deal. TK might be a little in love with Nolan but Patty is also a little bit in love with TK. No big deal, but then Nolan had to go and open up about his emotions and actually communicate his feelings for once. Which, good for Nolan…character growth and all that but really bad for TK. Why is this such a hellish nightmare for TK? Because TK is head over heels for Patty but he is terrified of him and what loving him entails. Here’s the thing, TK is more than willing to reveal harmless facts about himself to people so that they feel like they know him. TK is incredibly good at making it seem like he is an open book and in return people open up to him but no one actually knows him. Well, no one except Nolan. Which I’m sure you’re thinking “what’s the problem here? Patty knows you and you know Patty. I see this as a complete win.” To which TK would respond that this is in fact not a complete win. This is a complete disaster. 

He can’t lose Patty. He can’t take the chance of ruining the best friendship he’s ever had when he inevitably ends up fucking up. Because he will fuck up. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when. TK ruins all the good things in his life. He doesn’t mean to but he will do something that screws up everything. Hockey and Patty are the only good things he has left and he was so desperate not to mess them up that he was willing to take an ax to the delicate relationship he had growing if it meant keeping his friendship alive with Patty. But he didn’t account for the fact that cutting down the intimacy would ultimately damage the friendship. Which, stupid he knows because that relationship was built on friendship. So now everything is fucked. Patty has been avoiding him like the plague and TK can only hope that the awkwardness that has lasted for three months doesn’t impact the chemistry of the team.

Their first practice is in three days.

Fuck.

+

Good news! They still play like a well oiled machine. Bad news…Patty won’t look at TK and the tense atmosphere in the dressing room feels like it is choking TK. The guys play ignorant but their eyes keep flitting back and forth between him and Patty. TK tried his best to get out of there in record time but just as he was slipping his other shoe on a shadow feel over him. TK looked up to see his captain looking stern. 

“We need to talk.” Claude said calmly but his tone left no room for argument. 

TK nodded but responded in his usual troll way. “Aye aye Captain!” 

He was excepting Claude to laugh but all his efforts earned him was an eye roll and a tight grip on his shoulder. 

“Now Konecny!”

TK swallowed but stood up to follow his captain. Claude rarely calls him by his last name and when he does it’s usually because TK is playing like a dumpster fire. They wind up in the hall a ways down from the locker room. Claude has a very serious look on his face which is making TK feel unsettled. 

“What’s going on with you and Nolan?” Claude asks but it was more of a demand than a question.

TK freezes for half a second trying to think of a plausible answer before letting an easy laidback smile come to the surface. 

“Nothing is going on between me and Patty. We’re fine. Did you not see how well we played together during practice? Well oiled machine baby!” It was apparently the wrong thing to say as Claude’s became even more agitated. 

“Cut the shit, Konecny. Everyone in that locker room knows something is wrong. You haven’t been draped on Nolan’s back and he hasn’t been trying to hide grins behind a stoic mask at your antics. In fact he’s been glaring at everyone and everything. Not to mention, you’ve been incredibly subdued and you look like a kicked puppy every time you so much as glance at Nolan. So why don’t you try again and this time don’t lie to me.”

TK sighed. “Listen, Nolan and I are just going through something right now. It’s not affecting the team so I don’t really see the prob-“

“Like hell it’s not impacting the team, Konecny!” TK reared back at the anger and disbelief rolling off of Claude in waves. “It’s doing nothing but impacting the team. No one is comfortable in their own locker room because you two fuck wits are trying to pretend that everything is fine when everything is clearly not fine.”

“Claude it’s fine.”

“Tell me ‘it’s fine’ one more time and see what happens.”

TK let out a scoff. “We’re going to figure it out.”

“You sure as shit are, Konecny. I don’t care if you and Patty are sleeping with each other or dating or if you even get married but you two need to figure it out and do it now.” Claude inhaled deeply and TK could tell the minute the fight left him. “I just want you two to be happy, TK. You and Patty both deserve the happiness that a lot of us have found. It’s not healthy to live in a world where you can’t be who you truly want to be.”

“I can’t.” TK admitted after a few seconds. He kept his eyes downcast at the floor.

“You can’t what TK?”

“I can’t be good. I always mess up and ruin the best things in my life.” TK mumbled out, cutting his eyes towards Claude’s long enough to watch his soften. 

“Listen bud, I don’t know where you got that idea from or why you believed it but I need you to understand that it’s not true. You are good. So good. You just have to believe it.” TK felt his shoulders drop at Claude’s words. “and between you and me…Patty is so in love with you dude. You’re not going to mess it up. Well you will if you let it fizzle out because you had your head stuck so far up your own behind you were too blind to realize that your relationship with Patty is different. Word from the wise bud. Grab on to it and don’t let go. You might find something just as good if you’re lucky but chances are you won’t. Not this kind of love.” 

TK felt like he had been punched when Claude’s words processed. “Claude…Danny?”

Claude nodded and cleared his throat. “Yeah, um he and I…anyway, it didn’t work out because of basically the same reason you have for not going with Patty. It’s okay, I was one of the lucky ones and found Ryanne and had my beautiful boy with her. I’m happy and I wouldn’t have it any other way but I still wonder sometimes. Don’t make Patty wonder Teeks. He doesn’t deserve it and neither do you.” 

TK nodded. “Thank you.”

“No problem, bud. Now give me a hug. You look like you’re about ready to crawl out of your skin.” TK chuckled but let Claude pull him into his chest. He felt his body relax not having realized how tense he had been the entire time. TK buried his head into Claude’s shoulder. Now that he wasn’t so tense he realized how wound up he was. 

“I’m scared, Claude.” TK mumbled into his shoulder trying desperate to stop the tears he could feel building. 

“Shh, it’s okay to be scared. It’d be weird if you weren’t scared but you can’t be so scared that you don’t do anything at all.” Claude said as he rubbed TK’s back. 

“Okay.” TK pulled away and mustered up a smile for Claude. “Okay, I’ll deal with it.”


End file.
